Welcome to The Botanists Way

Experience the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area through the eyes of our early and contemporary botanists.

The Botanists Way touring route links the Hawkesbury Valley and Lithgow along the Bells Line of Road and Chifley Road. The Botanists Way connects many of the botanical attractions and themes in the area and crosses the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area with spectacular wilderness on both sides of the road.

The Botanists Way is also part of the Greater Blue Mountains Drive through the Hawkesbury, Lithgow, Oberon and Blue Mountains areas.

The 90 km drive along The Botanists Way between the Hawkesbury and Lithgow takes less than an hour and a half, but a whole day or even several days can be spent exploring all the sights and experiences along the way.

The botanical theme of The Botanists Way is based on the route’s association with the 1804 journey of colonial explorer and biologist George Caley, who walked from the Hawkesbury River to Mount Banks. Other botanical connections include other botanical explorers of the area, traditional Aboriginal pathways, Aboriginal knowledge and use of plants, the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden and the diverse bushland of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area (listed under the World Heritage Convention for its biodiversity values).

This project was originally made possible through funding support from the Australian Government under the Sharing Australia's Stories national heritage grants programme. Original website content 2006. Website design upgrade 2013 funded by the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah.

Acknowedgements

This information has been compiled by Ian Brown, with grateful acknowledgement of the assistance of Jan Allen (Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust), Joan Webb (George Caley's biographer) and Ian Charles (Nature Tourism Services).
Photography: Jaime Plaza: Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust; Lithgow City Council and Hills, Hawkesbury and Riverlands Tourism.